Cubana de Aviación flight 455 anniversary commemorations

Commemorations have been held to mark the 50th anniversary of the October 1976 terrorist attack on Cubana de Aviación flight 455. The aircraft explosion off the coast of Barbados resulted in the deaths of 73 people, including members of the Cuban youth fencing team and passengers from Guyana and North Korea.

In Havana, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez led a memorial at the José Martí Memorial and a pilgrimage to the Colón Cemetery to meet with victims' families and national fencing team members. During these events, Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced impunity regarding the attack, accusing the United States government of sponsoring and protecting the perpetrators.

To honor the victims, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba have established October 6 as the ‘CARICOM-Cuba Day against Terrorism’. In Cuba, the date has also been designated as the ‘Day of the Victims of State Terrorism’, a day used by officials to honor those killed or injured in various acts of aggression attributed to U.S.-funded activities over the last six decades.

During the 50th-anniversary observances, Cuban officials reiterated that the incident was a terrorist act orchestrated by anti-Cuban groups and supported by U.S. intelligence services. The commemorations included official acts held at educational centers throughout the island to emphasize the importance of historical memory.